Scalable, printable, patterned sheet of high mobility graphene on flexible substrates

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for fabricating graphene workpieces. The present invention also provides for products produced by the methods of the present invention and for apparatuses used to perform the methods of the present invention.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method of forming a patterned structure, the method comprising:
 forming a graphene layer on a substrate; 
 forming a patterned layer coupled to the graphene layer; and 
 separating the graphene layer from the substrate according to a pattern of the patterned layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said graphene layer comprises a graphene monolayer or continuous layers of graphene. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the graphene layer on the substrate comprises depositing the graphene layer using chemical vapor deposition. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the patterned layer comprises inkjet printing, laser printing, 3D printing, screen printing, flexography, gravure, offset lithography, nanoimprint lithography, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patterned layer is formed on the graphene layer. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein separating the graphene layer from the substrate comprises etching of the substrate, a bubbling transfer process, a mechanical separation process, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: forming a layer of material on the patterned layer prior to separating the graphene layer from the substrate. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein separating the graphene layer from the substrate comprises releasing portions of the graphene layer according to the pattern of the patterned layer. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graphene layer is supported by the patterned layer after the graphene layer is separated from the substrate. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein separating the graphene layer from the substrate comprises decoupling the substrate from the graphene layer. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the patterned layer comprises selective sintering of a material. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the patterned layer comprises selectively depositing a liquid binding material in a powder-bed layer. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a catalytic film. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the catalytic film comprises Cu, Ni or Pt foil. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: attaching the separated graphene layer onto a base substrate. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the separated graphene layer is attached with the patterned layer onto the base substrate. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the base substrate comprises a layer of patterned and unpatterned material. 
     
     
       18. A patterned structure comprising:
 a patterned layer; and 
 a graphene layer coupled to the patterned layer, wherein the graphene layer is configured to be separated from a substrate according to a pattern of the patterned layer to thereby pattern the graphene layer. 
 
     
     
       19. The patterned structure of  claim 18 , wherein the patterned layer provides support for the graphene layer that is separated from the substrate. 
     
     
       20. The patterned structure of  claim 18 , wherein the separated graphene layer has the same pattern as the patterned layer. 
     
     
       21. The patterned structure of  claim 18 , wherein the patterned structure is a free-standing structure that is separated from the substrate. 
     
     
       22. The patterned structure of  claim 18 , wherein the patterned structure is configured to be coupled to a base substrate.